


First Friend, Real Friend

by gingayellow



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, M/M, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-11
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-09-16 19:25:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9286355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingayellow/pseuds/gingayellow
Summary: In which Lance and Hunk are revealed to be That Kind of Couple that were always bffs/up to no good. [Hunk/Lance, pre-series, probably gonna be AU once S2 drops]





	

Title: First Friend, Real Friend  
Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender  
Characters/Pairing: Lance/Hunk  
Rating: PG  
Disclaimer: Not mine, anything mentioned here by name isn't mine  
Warnings: Parental death mentions. Vehical crashes?  
Notes: Pre-series AU. Finally getting around to writing my other Voltron OTP. ;P I know nothing about mechanics, so apologies in advance. ;; (Going with the Devil's Due comic, iirc, for Hunk's full name.)

\--

“Aww, is the baby gonna cry?” The bigger kid—blond hair, blue eyes, and mean smile—gave Hunk a shove.

“No,” Hunk said, even as he had to wipe at his eyes. He was trying to be tough, like his Granny and Grandpa kept telling him to be after Mama and Papa had died, but he had wrecked/stolen the motor Hunk had been working on for a week. And the toys he kept in the yard, and the sandwich his grandfather had made him before they went into town to run errands. 

“C’mon, just please—” Hunk lunged for what remained of the motor, but the kid crowed in triumph as he held it over their heads. “Please give it back.” It wasn’t going to work, but what else could he do? Granny and Grandpa weren’t here. He was the new kid; he didn’t have any friends. The kid was gonna steal the motor Grandpa had given him, and Grandpa was gonna be mad, and never let Hunk work on anything ever again…

“Hey, Freddie!”

Hunk flinched when he saw a new boy—scrawny and scrappy looking, drowning in an oversized, stained blue shirt and ripped pants—yelled at them, because he was probably the kid’s (Freddie’s) friend, and he would help Freddie beat Hunk up. But then the boy tackled Freddie. Hunk just barely grabbed the motor in time. He put it down to see if he could help… but the boy was currently biting down on Freddie’s arm (and Freddie was yowling in pain, before he scrambled away, the boy yelling at Freddie’s retreating form that yeah, he better run!). The boy in the blue shirt didn’t look it, but he had an aggressive streak in him.

But all of that vanished when he grinned at Hunk. “You okay, buddy?”

“Um, yeah.” Hunk ducked his head. While he was glad that this boy wasn’t another bully, he knew through personal experience, that just because someone helped you, they weren’t really your friend. They just wanted to feel good about themselves, but once they realized that no, Hunk was always going to be an oversensitive scaredy cat (He’d overheard Tiffany calling him that right before he transferred schools, and that was way he was kind of glad he had), they went away. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me.” The boy flipped his hair confidently. “I’m gonna be a superhero when I grow up, so I needed the practice. Aw, man, Freddie busted your Go Lion?!” The boy grabbed what remained of the toy, sighing sadly. “Poor Go Lion. You were too good for this world.”

“Don’t worry. I can fix it. See?” While Hunk was still wary around this boy, he did love fixing and building—so without thinking, he took the pieces, and after some effort, he fixed the toy.

“Woah.” The boy’s eyes were wide with awe. “How did you…”

“Oh, well, I’m good with stuff like that,” Hunk admitted. He always had been. “I was working on that motor over there, but Freddie messed it up.” He could fix it, but it would take awhile. “I guess that’s not going in a car anytime soon—”

“You’re building a car?!” The boy grabbed Hunk by his shoulders. “That is so cool—” Then he smiled sheepishly. “Um, whoever you are.”

Despite himself, Hunk smiled. “It’s Hunk. And I’m not building a car. I’m just trying to fix the motor for my Grandpa’s old truck.” He’d taken it out so he could examine it fully. It was an odd way to work, but he liked it.

“That’s still really cool! I’m Lance, by the way.” Lance held out a dirt-smudged hand that was warm when Hunk shook it. “Please tell me you’ll be my new best friend.”

“I. What?”

“You’re fixing trucks and like Go Lion. I can’t think of better friendship material! Hey, you go to the local elementary school, right?”

“Yeah. I’m in fifth grade.”

“Me too!” Lance smiled again (he seemed to do that a lot). “I’ll see you tomorrow at the first day of school, then!” He ran off, waving.

Hunk returned to his motor, trying not to think about Lance. Tomorrow morning, he would forget Hunk. Or decide he was too much of a crybaby to hang out with.

Go Lion stared at Hunk stoically.

Hunk took him inside, and hid him under the bed.

\--

The teacher gently herded Hunk into the classroom (he wasn’t trying to sneak away; he just didn’t want to go in when it was so noisy), and told him to sit wherever there was a free desk. Hunk bit his lip, because it looked like every desk was full, and what was he gonna do?

“Hunk!” Lance waved wildly from the back. “You can share my desk!”

“Lance, no yelling in the class!” The teacher huffed, and shrugged. “But I do appreciate you willingness to share.” She smiled down at Hunk. “Is it okay with you?”

“Y-Yeah.” Hunk felt the knot in his stomach that had been there since, well, he’d moved in with his grandparents unravel a bit. “I’m okay sharing with Lance.”

\--

Meeting Lance turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to Hunk. He helped Lance with his lessons, and Lance helped Hunk with soccer. He also told Hunk funny stories about his family (“I got a sister who’s a professional boxer! She says once I’m old enough she’ll teach me). He shielded Hunk in dodgeball (“This is for the best friendship ever!!!” he would scream every time). Hunk taught him how to play Pokemon cards, and they quietly plotted to build their own hoverscooter one day and see America before college. And that was just in fifth grade.

Middle school was trickier, because they had different classes a lot of the time. But they always managed study hall and lunch together—and ever since Lance cried from joy after sampling Hunk’s homemade brownies, he always made sure to pack two. They also joined Space Club together, although that was more Lance’s idea than Hunk’s. But hey, it made Lance happy, so Hunk was happy.

“I’m mature now, Hunk,” Lance informed him as they walked to Space Club one blustery autumn day. “I’ve put aside childish dreams of being a superhero, and I’m going to be an astronaut instead.”

“Okay, but aren’t they kinda the same thing?” Hunk sidestepped to crunch leaves. “You’ll be doing dangerous stuff to help people.”

“Yep, but I won’t need to wear any tacky capes to do that, Hunk.” Lance stuck his tongue out at Hunk good-naturedly. “But it also means I gotta study.” He was still grinning, but Hunk had known him enough to hear that tiny bit of uncertainty. Lance wasn’t a bad student, but if he wanted to be an astronaut, he was going to start doing better academically. “Can I count on your help?”

Hunk smiled back. “Anytime.” Lance was his first real friend. How could he refuse?

\--

“I’m sorry, Lance—I can’t—I can’t—” Hunk broke down into a fit of tears.

“Hey.” Lance’s voice was warm as he rubbed Hunk’s back. “I’ve never taken them, but I’m pretty sure that AP exams are made to make people have intense crying fits.”

“It’s not just that,” Hunk sniffled. He was almost eighteen. He was getting ready for college. He was helping Lance with his own grades. But here he was, crying like a baby because he was worried about himself. “I came here to help you study, but I just…” He’d been cramming for Physics for a solid week, and nothing was sticking. Then he opened Lance’s own Physics text for their tutoring session, and he just started bawling.

“Whelp, my brother—the one who adjuncts at the community college—always reminds me about this one thing when I panic over school.” Lance rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s important to relax before exam, too. Otherwise nerves set in.”

Hunk sniffled. He supposed that made sense. “Whaddya wanna do?”

Lance smiled. “Wanna watch Go Lion reruns?”

“Well, yeah, but what about you?” This was supposed to be about Lance, not him.

“Oh no, I’m gonna have to put off cramming for Physics so I can watch the adventures of Commander Akira and pals with my best friend for an hour!” Lance nudged Hunk gently. “You’re important too, buddy.”

Even now, years later, that was a little weird to accept. Hunk was used to people liking him—then getting bored with him, and leaving him. But so far, Lance hadn’t.

Lance was his first real friend.

\--

Hunk had everything after graduation planned out. He and Lance were going to go out to get burgers (Hunk’s Granny gave them cash, and told them that yes, they could stay out as long as they wanted, since they were eighteen now, but please come back safe), and then see if they could get that hoverscooter running (which was probably why Granny emphasized the coming back safe thing). It was gonna be the best night of their lives. Now if he could just find Lance. He’d said he’d meet Hunk at their old lockers, but so far, no luck.

“Oh, c’mon, Lance. The band’s your favorite.”

Hunk froze at the voice coming from an empty classroom.

“I don’t know, Annie,” Lance said, and Hunk froze. Annie was the girl Lance was currently crushing on. He would do anything to impress her. “Hunk and I had some plans, and well…”

“Hunk? Really?”

“… What do you mean by ‘really,” Annie.”

Annie huffed. “Well, it’s sweet that he follows you around like a puppy. But he’s weird and always throwing up or crying. He’s not the type of person I see you hanging out with, Lance.”

Hunk wanted to prove Annie wrong, but the tears were coming down. Here it was. It’d taken longer than with the others, but it was happening. Lance was going to realize that Annie was right, that he was just a weird crybaby, and make up excuse to stop talking to Hunk, and—

“Um, Annie, I’m not sure what school you’ve been attending the past four years, but Hunk is the coolest guy here. He’s why I have a real chance at college, and have also seen all the episodes of Go Lion.” Lance’s tone was as fierce as the first day he met Hunk. “And I’m going to be hanging out with him in the truck he fixed on his own tonight, thanks. Just in case you needed one more reminder how amazing he is.”

There was a long pause.

“Whatever.” Annie stepped out of the classroom, with no real change in her walk. Hunk was grateful that she didn’t turn around, because she would have seen him.

Lance, however, did, when he finally staggered out. “Um.” Lance glanced at his shoes. “How much did you hear?”

“All of it,” Hunk confessed. “Thanks.” Then he found himself on the receiving end of a bear hug—which shouldn’t have been possible, since Lance was skinny as heck, but he made it work.

“Never, ever forget how awesome you are, Hunk,” Lance whispered into Hunk’s shoulder.

Hunk felt nervous, but… but in a good way as he hugged Lance back. “You, too. You’re, um, the first person to defend my honor.”

“And I always will.” Lance grinned up at him. “Now, let’s get ready to graduate.”

\--

“Hunk, are you sure you don’t wanna try flying this thing at least once? You built it and all.”

“Positive.” He’d already been nearly sick (twice) on the drive here. “’Sides, if you’re gonna be an astronaut, you gotta get used to flying, right?”

“Right!” Lance hopped on, rubbing his hands. “Just say when, and I’m gone!”

Hunk looked over the scooter one more time, and… “When!”

The first three minutes were amazing. Lance did tricks Hunk would have never imagined. He flew so high, Hunk was pretty sure people in the city could see them.

And that was when Lance crashed.

Hunk was too busy running/grabbing the first aid kit to cry over the fact that he might’ve gotten Lance killed. “Lance?!” The hoverscooter was ruined, twisted metal and debris and… and there was Lance, unscratched, dusting off his pants.

“Sorry about crashing your scooter, Hunk—woah, okay, your hugs are definitely more powerful than mine.”

Hunk wasn’t ready to let go just yet. “I am never building a hoverscooter again.”

“Yeah, you are.” Lance’s tone was friendly, but left no room for argument as he hugged Hunk back. “You’re gonna build another, and other fancy stuff, and the rockets and ships I’m gonna pilot one day.” Then he… looked shy? When did Lance look shy about anything? “And, um, we could seal that with a kiss. If you want. Or we could also just forget that, if you’re not cool with kissing, sorry, I’m babbling, guess that crash kinda rattled me, and—”

“Lance.” Hunk placed a gentle hand on Lance’s mouth. “Shut up and kiss me?”

Lance laughed breezily before he did just that.

\--

“Don’t worry, Hunk. Your Grandpa will help you and Lance haul all that junk.”

“‘Your Grandpa’ will do no such thing,” Granny snapped at him over the frying pan. “You know the doctor told you to rest your back.” She all but slammed Grandpa’s plate of bacon in front of him. “Let the young men clean up their own mess.”

“Granny’s got a point, Grandpa.” Hunk smiled at his Granny as he set down his own plate, then dug in. “Lance and I plan on driving back there after lunch.”

“How is Lance?” Granny took a sip of her tea. “He couldn’t stop looking at you during commencement yesterday.”

Hunk felt his face heat up. “He, uh—oh, hey, someone’s at the door! It’s probably Lance! ‘Scuse me!” Thank goodness Lance was early and interrupted what would have been the most awkward conversation ever. “Hey, Lance!”

It wasn’t Lance.

It was a handsome young man, in what looked like a military uniform.

“Good morning.” The Military Man smiled at Hunk.

“ ** _Nobody died in the crash, I promise you!_** ” Hunk screamed at the top of his lungs.

“Oh. That’s good. I mean, I knew that, but that’s still good to know.” He held out a hand. “Are you Tsuyoshi Garrett?”

“Um, yeah, but everyone calls me Hunk.” Hunk shook his hand warily.

The Military Man smiled again. “I’m Takashi Shirogane, but everyone calls me Shiro. I’m a freshman at the Galaxy Garrison.”

“Oh, hey, I’ve heard of that! And please, some in.” It was, for lack of a better term, ‘space college.’ You became an astronaut faster than you would in the traditional way, but it was way harder.

“Thanks. And I won’t take up too much of your time, I promise. A professor was visiting and saw what your hoverscooter could do, so I was sent here to talk to you about our open enrollment…” 

\--

“So, how was your morning?”

“Okay.” Hunk was too nervous to get sick in the truck. “Um. I think I decided on a school.”

Lance kept his eyes fixed on the road. “Cool. Which one?”

“Galaxy Garrison.”

“… Oh.” 

Hunk still wasn’t queasy, but he felt light-headed. Both he and Lance knew that there was a real change they’d attend difference colleges, but the Garrison was so far away. “Um, this guy name Shiro—”

“Woah. Takashi Shirogane, one of the youngest guys ever to do a deep space walk?!”

“I guess? But yeah, he said if I applied, there’s a real chance I’ll get in.”

“Well,” Lance said as he made a turn, “guess I know what I’m doing after we finish.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m gonna start applying to the Garrison as well.”

“Lance, you don’t have to…”

“I want to.” They were at a red light, which gave Lance a chance to kiss Hunk on the cheek. “And hey, then I can fly all the cool fighter ships you’re gonna build me.”

The light turned green, and they kept going.


End file.
